The integrity of the data in data architecture is established by what can be called the
“system of record.” The system of record is the one place where the value of data is
definitively established. Note that the system of record applies only to detailed granular
data. The system of record does not apply to summarized or derived data.
In order to understand the system of record, think of a bank and your bank account
balance. For every account in every bank, there is a single system of record for account
balance. There is one and only one place where the account balance is established and
managed. Your bank account balance may appear in many places throughout the bank.
But there is only one place where the system of record is kept.
The system of record moves throughout the data architecture that has been described.
Fig. 8.4.2 depicts the movement of the system of record.
Chapter 8.4: Data Architecture: A High-Level Perspective